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Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
JONATHAN BROCKLEBANK: Glasgow hosted a glorious Games - but bringing them back now feels like a terrible mistake
A kind of magic typically descends on Scotland when it hosts world sporting events. I am a veteran of several Open championships at St Andrews and, at each one, I've fallen under the spell. Seve Ballesteros holing his 12ft putt on the 18th to clinch the title in1984? I was greenside, watching the ball hesitate on the lip of the cup and then finally drop, prompting ecstasy from the Spaniard. He later described it as happiest moment of his life. It was one of the most unforgettable in mine. Some moaned about the road closures but it's the magic I remember about the UCI Cycling World Championships when they hit Glasgow two summers ago. In the 160mile men's road race Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel hurtled into a crash barrier in the Merchant City after opening up a commanding lead. 'Someone call an ambulance' was my first thought. His first one was getting back on his damaged bike and hanging on for victory. Bewitching viewing. So were the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 11 years ago. I was among the 60,000 at the opening ceremony at Celtic Park – a delightfully bonkers spectacle of dancing tea cakes and Scottie dogs in tartan coats leading out the teams from each participating nation. The late Queen was there; the Red Arrows too. Rod Stewart and Amy Macdonald duetted on Rhythm of My Heart together. Susan Boyle, bless her, did Mull of Kintyre. I was too caught in the moment to consider how all this was playing elsewhere, but I gather a UK audience of nine million tuned in for the BBC's coverage, while the estimated worldwide audience was one billion. On the streets of Glasgow the games were inescapable. A volunteer army of more than 12,000 helpers – known as Clyde-siders – saw to that. Fine by me. In a few weeks it would be the independence referendum that was inescapable. Here was a welcome chance for the city to stand as one before facing the sorry task of dividing itself in two. I struggle to think of a single occasion in the past when Scotland has not been enriched by the arrival of elite sports men and women on its shores. Why then, does the return of the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow next summer feel like a terrible mistake? Why does it bring groans rather than tingles of anticipation? And why does the same sense of listlessness seem to afflict the BBC which, last time around, cleared its schedules for such unpromising spectacles as weightlifting from the Armadillo and bowling from Kelvingrove Park? A year out from the Games, the Beeb has not yet committed to showing anything at all. And, I'm sorry to say, I kind of get it. In 2014 the athletics were hosted by Hampden Park, our national stadium. Twelve years later they are heading for Scotstoun stadium which, even with added temporary seating, will have a quarter of Hampden's capacity. There will be just 10 core sports and a total of four venues. In 2014 there were 17 sports and 16 venues. Yes, these are a scaled down version of the Games, everyone involved has readily admitted ever since Glasgow contrived to find itself the only candidate for staging them – but they will still be magic. Really? They are beginning to sound like a school sports day. I wonder if attending them won't feel rather like showing up for a wake and swapping wistful memories of the deceased. Remember 2014 when the world's fastest man Usain Bolt stood in the rain in the east end and – allegedly – delivered the verdict that whole shebang was 'a bit sh*t'? How fervently we took issue at the time. Sure, it may have lacked the wallop of the Olympics or the World Cup Finals but it was a sporting feast nonetheless. Our stadiums were filled. Our hearts were full, our voices hoarse. This time around? I cannot imagine being in any position to disagree with the sprinter's original assessment. You may remember that the Australian state of Victoria was slated to host the 2026 Games until it pulled out in July 2023. State premier Daniel Andrews – a republican – said he was not prepared to spend up to £3.6 billion on a '12 day sporting event'. 'I've made a lot of difficult decisions in this job,' he added: 'This is not one of them.' The 2022 Games were held in Birmingham after Durban in South Africa – the only bidder for the event – was ruled out due to financial constraints. The 2030 Games? They were supposed to be heading for Alberta in Canada but, a month after Victoria ditched plans to host next year's games, Alberta got its cancellation in early for following edition. Are we getting a pattern here? Is every Commonwealth country but Britain waking up to the fact the games are past their sell-by date? I'm lukewarm at best about the return of the Games not only because, by financial necessity, they will be a pale imitation of the 2014 version. It's also the fact no-one else on the planet wanted them. Victoria was prepared to hand over £100 million to Glasgow just to be shot of them. How deafening the silence from potential hosts when Mr Andrews delivered his bombshell in 2023. All around, great Commonwealth nations sitting on their hands, avoiding gazes, waiting for some muggins UK city to blink. As a sports lover, it depresses me to say it, but I wish Glasgow had sat on its hands too. If these games are to survive – and I doubt they will – then the least they require is a level of desire among nations beyond our shores to host them. That's a big ask in the 21st century. Don't forget this is an event which began life in 1930 as the British Empire Games and did not drop the word 'empire' from its name until 1970. Queen Elizabeth II may not have seen it this way – she treasured the Commonwealth – but the competing nations in this quadrennial fixture owe their right to participate to history which not all of their populations now celebrate. It's because of this history that Canadian athletes compete but USA ones do not, that practically the whole of Europe is a no show. Here in the UK our attachment to the Games is, I suspect, of a different nature to that of other Commonwealth nations – and not simply because we are the daddy. We enjoy the fact that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete as separate nations rather than Team GB as they do in the Olympics. For those of a Nationalist, republican bent, it may be the one thing the Games have going for them. But I wonder if the time has come for us to worry less about keeping the Games on life support and focus more on their reputation outside the UK. Are they a thing of value or a diplomatic chore? Do top-flight athletes in Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Jamaica still see them as relevant to their careers or might they have come round to Mr Bolt's way of thinking? I don't say it should be the latter but, if it is, it's time to let go.
Daily Record
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Bill Bailey learning the bagpipes ahead of Scotland shows in tribute to Sean Lock
'I'm learning the bagpipes. I have a wonderful set of bagpipes that I own and I've had the bag changed into the Bailey tartan." Bill Bailey has revealed he is learning the bagpipes as he heads to Scotland for a string of shows. The stand-up comic and Strictly Come Dancing winner, 60, is perfecting his pipe playing in time for shows at Glasgow's Armadillo on August 22, and Edinburgh Playhouse on August 23 and 24. He said: 'I'm learning the bagpipes. I've got the basics. I wouldn't say I'm an expert. I have a wonderful set of bagpipes that I own and I've had the bag changed into the Bailey tartan. It's just a fantastic and such a powerful instrument.' He plans to play the pipes on his latest Thoughtifier tour dates in a tribute to fellow comedian Sean Lock, who died of cancer, aged 58, as he says 'they have that commemorative, haunting quality'. He added: 'There's something quite primal about it, especially in a small theatre. There'll be some classic stirring Scottish tunes. 'A drummer comes on and starts beating out the rhythm to a variety of different songs and it gets the hairs standing on the back of the neck every time.' Bill will also be in conversation with former SNP MP Mhairi Black at Edinburgh's Gilded Balloon on August 25. He said: 'The first time we drove to Edinburgh, we got lost. We were in a little Ford Fiesta. The car wasn't absolutely in mint condition so we had to avoid motorways. 'We got to our digs in Leith at six in the morning and next door there was a pub open. 'I came back many years after that and I love the whole experience.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Scottish Sun
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Fury as tickets for music icon's Scots gigs appear on resale sites for almost £700 minutes after they sell out
VIA NONO Fury as tickets for music icon's Scots gigs appear on resale sites for almost £700 minutes after they sell out Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GREEDY touts started selling tickets to see music legend Bob Dylan's Scottish shows just minutes after the gigs went live. Briefs to see the Blowin in the Wind star were being offered on sites for five times their original value moments after the 10am kick off today. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Bob Dylan will perform at the Armadillo Credit: AFP 4 The icon played Scotland in November Credit: Getty The 84-year-old will appear in Glasgow's SEC Armadillo on November 16 and 17 during his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. But disappointed fans face being overcharged to see their idol as ruthless touts set inflated prices for his only Scots shows. Website Viagogo had tickets for sale for £685 each within an hour of his Glasgow show being released. The site also had tickets being offered for £667 and £394 a piece. The shows will be phone-free and concert goers will be asked to put their devices into a pouch until the end of the gig. It comes a week after Lewis Capaldi fans raged at greedy touts who were flogging tickets for the star's comeback shows at eyewatering prices. Seats for the OVO Hydro shows in Glasgow are being flogged on Viagogo for as much as £468. And entry to Capaldi's Aberdeen concerts could set desperate punters back as much £407. Dylan performed in Scotland last November where he told the crowd: 'We could play here every night, actually. Can't wait to come back.' The tour dates come amid a fresh surge in interest in the singer's career following the release of his biopic A Complete Unknown last year. Actor Timothee Chalamet starred as Dylan in the film which followed the story of his career beginnings and infamous decision to go electric in the mid-1960s. The Hurricane singer will also play in Leeds, Belfast and Dublin. Dylan is one of the most famous songwriters of all-time, winning 10 Grammys and being nominated on 38 further occasions. He has had six UK top 10 singles and nine UK number one albums. Born Robert Zimmerman, Dylan burst on to the folk scene in the early 1960s before controversially picking up an electric guitar on stage in 1965. He has sold more than 125million records and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 — the first songwriter to receive such a distinction. Dylan owned a huge Highland mansion near Nethy Bridge for over 20 years which he used as a hideout. He sold it in 2023 for more than over £4m. Dylan is among several musicians and comedians to introduce restrictions on mobile phones at their performances in recent years. Sir Andy Murray also imposed a phone ban at his recent shows discussing his career. 4 Dylan in his younger days Credit: Alamy
Glasgow Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Hit musical about Celtic FC is coming back to Glasgow
'My dad saw this show at the Armadillo and loved it,' says the Castlemilk-born actor. 'He sadly died in May, so when I saw the auditions come up, I thought I'd try for a part and do it in his memory. I'm doing it for him.' Stephen is starring in Celtic The Musical, a reimagined version of the hit show which has been delighting audiences in Glasgow and on tour for almost a decade. The new cast of Celtic The Musical (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest) It is coming to the Pavilion in September, and the Glasgow Times was given exclusive access to the new cast as they met for the first time at Celtic Park in the East End. Celtic The Musical follows the life and times of the Quinn family, as they support their beloved club through the generations, from its founding by Brother Walfrid in 1888 through the heady days of Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions, to Brendan Rodgers' present-day squad. Songs include fan favourites Hail Hail, Over and Over and the spine-tingling You'll Never Walk Alone. Stephen, who is known for his work on a string of TV series and films including Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance, Vigil and Mayflies, is making his Celtic The Musical debut. 'It's exciting – hopefully we're bringing something new and fresh to the show, a different dynamic,' he says. Julie Duncanson and Stephen McCole (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest) 'It's a show really about how this club has been an anchor for families to share experiences, to cry together a bit, to support each other.' He grins: 'And I'm sure if my dad is watching somewhere, he'll be laughing his a**e off at me. If the lights start to go a bit funny in the middle of it, I'll know he's there …' (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest) Elysia Welch is also new to the production. The Southside-based actor, who plays Rosie, is delighted to be joining the show. 'I'm a Celtic fan, so I'm really excited,' she says, smiling. 'Rosie is sassy, she knows a lot about Celtic and she and her brother are constantly back and forth at each other, so it's a bit like me and my siblings. 'I can't wait.' Former River City star Julie Duncanson is reprising her role as Quinn family matriarch Mary. 'The audience makes the show – they bring all their love and enthusiasm and it's great to be part of that,' says Julie, who is from North Glasgow. (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest) Gary: Tank Commander star James Rottger is also returning to the production. 'This will make it four-in-row,' he says, wryly. 'Just like Celtic has just done. I feel like my character, Tommy, has aged with me along the way. 'It's a great show, always changing and staying fresh.' (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest) Keith Warwick, who is a veteran of the production, having performed in it twice at the Pavilion, and at the Armadillo and on tour, agrees the show 'has to evolve' with each run. 'You want to keep it up to date and fresh, because the story of Celtic keeps going,' says the Govan-born actor. 'The main theme though does not change – it's about family, it's about refugees being made welcome in Glasgow because that's the roots of this club, and it's about the highs and lows of life.' Keith, who is well-known for a string of TV and stage roles including My Parents Are Aliens and The Bill, is a dyed-in-the-wool Celtic fan, so he is delighted to be talking about this in the home of his favourite club. He is also well aware of how much the story means to the fans. 'If I can just name-drop for a moment,' he says, mock-apologetically, 'Brendan Rodgers spoke to me at the last run and asked me if I got nervous waiting in the wings, because the atmosphere at this show is so raucous. 'I told him as a fan, I was over the moon, and so excited, but as a professional, you have to control yourself.' He adds, smiling: 'If you don't rein it in, the audience will take over and you'll just be singing songs all night. And people have got buses to catch.' Celtic The Musical will be at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow from September 4 to 27.
Perth Now
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bob Dylan announces 2025 UK and Ireland tour dates
Bob Dylan has announced several tour dates in the UK and Ireland for 2025. The 84-year-old singer-songwriter will play 13 shows on his acclaimed Rough and Rowdy Ways tour in November, following on from a string of summer gigs in the US. Dylan's first UK performance takes place in Brighton on November 7, before heading across Britain and Ireland to Swansea, Coventry, Leeds, Glasgow, Belfast, Killarney and Dublin. Concertgoers will be asked to put their phones and electronic devices in a special bag that will be sealed shut through the performance, as is custom on the tour which has been on the road since 2021. The Yondr pouches close automatically inside the venue before reopening when audiences return to the concourse later on. Dylan played his first gig in the UK at The King and Queen pub in Fitzrovia, London in 1962 and first performed in Ireland at the Adelphi Cinema on his famous 1966 world tour. Tickets for the shows will go on sale at 10am on Friday 18 July. Dylan is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in history and was played by Timothee Chalamet in the biopic A Complete Unknown last year, which centred on the Blowin' in the Wind singer's infamous decision to 'go electric' in the 1960s. The Dune actor explained that he felt "validated" by the reclusive music legend's praise for his portrayal. The 29-year-old star said: "He's a man of few words. "He's probably said fewer words publicly in his life than I've said in this interview alone, so to get some sort of … affirmation - deeply validating. And everything we do in life, we want our heroes to, should they even know about us, affirm us, so the fact that he did, it's more than I could ever ask for, and hopefully he doesn't delete it." Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways tour 2025 UK and Ireland dates: Fri 7th November: Brighton Centre, Brighton Sun 9th November: Building Society Arena, Swansea Mon 10th November: Building Society Arena, Swansea Tues 11th November: Building Society Arena, Swansea Thurs 13th November: Building Society Arena, Coventry Fri 14th November: First Direct Arena, Leeds Sun 16th November: Armadillo, Glasgow Mon 17th November: Armadillo, Glasgow Weds 19th November: Waterfront, Belfast Thurs 20th November: Waterfront, Belfast Sun 23rd November: INEC, Killarney Mon 24th November: INEC, Killarney Tues 25th November: 3Arena, Dublin
